Born in 1749, Cimarosa was one of Europe's leading composers at the end of the 18th century. It was during his most productive period that he produced his Olimpiade, a grand opera seria transformed into a sumptuous bel canto drama. Here Cimarosa brings heroism to the athletes competing in Olympia in the Games, the winner of which will marry the Princess Aristea: seemingly inextricable, the plot allows the composer to compose some of the most extraordinary arias ever composed to Metastasio's libretto. Christophe Rousset, a great champion of the fin-de-siècle Italian repertoire, carries off a dazzling cast in this bel-cante hurricane!
Championing a broad vocal and instrumental repertoire, ranging from early Baroque to the beginnings of Romanticism, the musicians of Les Talens Lyriques aim to throw light on the great masterpieces of musical history, while providing perspective by presenting rarer or little known works that are important as missing links in the European musical heritage. This musicological and editorial work, which contributes to its renown, is a priority for the ensemble.
